Chemung History
Elmira, New York

Julius Lars Hoftrup on left
Born in Kjevlinge, Sweden. Immigrated to upstate New York in 1881, then went to study at Cooper Union. From the "Watercolor Series" from American Artist, October 1946, Vol. 10 Issue 8, p32. "He has lived in a picturesque hilltop farm, south of Elmira, New York, where he has painted his own studio house under different light conditions, as well as neighboring farms, hillside views and hamlets. His style of doing pencil sketch before starting his watercolor, using charcoal to make guide lines and his technique in rendering are explained. " He died in 1954. His work is in the collections of Brooklyn Museum; Carnegie Museum Art; Hobart College; Arnot Gallery; Richmond Hill High School., Brooklyn, NY; mural, Ziegler Memorial Church, Iowa; Cedar Rapids Museum; Davenport Municipal Gal. & Muscatine Art Assn., both in Iowa; Phillips Memorial Gallery, Washington, D.C.

Artstorp, his farm, had a "relaxed, supportive atmosphere" and attracted visits by Grant Wood, Marsden Hartley, and Norman Kent.  

Armand Carmen Wargny on right
Born in France in 1878. Came to the US and met Hoftrup in Chicago. The two began "a life-long friendship." They travelled extensively and finally moved to Pine City, NY to Hoftrup's farm "Artstorp." He died in 1947.